Connect-ED Implemented to Keep Students Safe and Informed at All Times

Lakewood, N.J., Oct. 10, 2007—Georgian Court University announced it has selected the multimodal communication service Connect-ED from the NTI Group Inc. The university recently implemented the service to provide campus leaders and security professionals the ability to reach all students with time-sensitive information during the unforeseen events or emergencies, within minutes, through a single phone call.

“Today we are forced to prepare for situations that we never could have anticipated happening and recognize the important role that immediate communication plays in keeping students safe,” said Barbara Gliwa, university vice president for finance and administration. “We have selected Connect-ED because of its successful track record and multimodal capabilities that will allow us to keep students, parents, and staff informed at all times.”

The Connect-ED service enables campus leaders to schedule, send, and track personalized voice messages to up to six phone numbers per person, and immediately sends messages via four different modes of communication:

--voice messages to home, work, and cell phones

--text messages to cell phones, PDAs, and other text-based devices

--written messages to e-mail accounts

--messages to TTY/TDD-receiving devices for the hearing impaired

“Notifying appropriate parties immediately is crucial in emergency situations, such as a severe storm, tornado, or campus closure, because it helps minimize the spread of misinformation, restore order and provide detailed instructions,” said Ms. Gliwa. “It is essential for students to enter all of their contact information into the Connect-Ed database. The more means we have to contact individuals, the better our odds are of spreading timely information and also keeping everyone safe.”

Founded in 1908 and sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Georgian Court University is a comprehensive university with a strong liberal arts core and a special concern for women. A forward-thinking university that supports diversity and academic excellence, Georgian Court serves over 3,000 students of all faiths and backgrounds in a residential Women's College and a coeducational University College with undergraduate and graduate programs. Georgian Court's main campus is located at 900 Lakewood Avenue, Lakewood, N.J., on the picturesque former George Jay Gould estate, now named a National Historic Landmark. Georgian Court also offers classes at its site at 90 Woodbridge Center Drive in Woodbridge and at Coastal Communiversity in Wall and Cumberland County College in Vineland.